LaGRANGE PARK – Despite the fact that Nazareth’s football team lost its first game of the season to Marist, Coach Tim Racki knows that the way his team rallied is a good omen with Joliet Catholic looming this week.The Roadrunners put together a furious rally before falling to Marist 42-37. They now host 3-0 Joliet Catholic Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in a game which will be broadcast by CN100.“We had our first big test of the season versus Marist this past Friday,” Racki said. “I was very happy with the way we competed the entire game. We were down 23-9 in the first half; we rallied in the second half but came up short in the final minute when we had an opportunity to tie it. The effort and poise for a young team is there.”CN100, The Comcast Network, will air the game at Noon and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22, and at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24. You can also find the game across Chicagoland with Xfinity On Demand.Nazareth, which posted wins over Proviso East and Julian to start the season, has a balanced running attack led by Ivory Kelly-Martin. He has rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns in three games. Clyde Tucker and Danny Bakovich also each have two touchdowns and over 100 yards rushing.Quarterback Jake Bartels has been turnover-prone with five interceptions but gives the team another dimension offensively. His top target thus far has been Joey Nelson.“Our offensive line is solid and we’re very effective in the run game,” Racki said. “We need to clean up the turnover stat, ball security.”Racki looks across the line to Joliet Catholic’s defense and sees a challenge lying ahead for his team.“They attack and penetrate well up front,” Racki said. “They have linebackers that fit the run and defend the pass very well. Great speed in the secondary and they support the run very well too.”Joliet Catholic may not have dynamic tailback Ty Isaac, who is now at USC, but the Hilltoppers are still loaded as they try to make a run to their 14th state championship.One state wasn’t even enough to hold JCA this year. In addition to wins over Providence and St. Viator, the Hilltoppers traveled to St. Thomas in Minnesota in Week 2 and posted a convincing 49-7 win.Mike Ivlow, the son of Bolingbrook coach John Ivlow, leads the way running the ball this season. Nick Borgra rushed for four touchdowns in the 35-20 win over St. Viator last week. Quarterback Nick Morrison runs the show for an offense that posted over 500 yards in each of the first two weeks.“Joliet Catholic is very impressive, as they are every year,” Racki said. “Their offensive line looks to be much faster and stronger than the past few years. They get off the ball to the second and third levels very quickly. The running backs run very hard, get north and south in a hurry. The quarterback is very accurate with the threat to run or pass to tight ends and wings with speed. They are not as one-dimensional as people may think.”Robbie Brindley has led the team in tackles so far for Nazareth. Jack Dolan has three interceptions for the Roadrunners.- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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